SPC Plugins

Gater-Pro Audio Plugin User Manual

Installation

If you have any problems with installation, authorisation or any other aspect of Gater-Pro, please contact us.

Windows: extract the Gater-Pro VST.zip file (Right click, ‘Extract All’). There are two installers, Gater-Pro VST.exe installs the 32 bit version in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steinberg\Vstplugins, Gater-Pro VST64.exe installs the 64 bit version in C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Vstplugins but you can change these default locations if you want. You can install both versions on the same computer.

Mac Audio Unit: double click the Gater-Pro AU.dmg file to mount it, agree to the license then drag the Gater-Pro icon to the Components folder icon. The default Audio Unit plugins folder is Macintosh HD/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components.

Mac VST: double click the Gater-Pro VST.dmg file to mount it, agree to the license then drag the Gater-Pro icon to the VST folder icon. The default VST plugins folder is Macintosh HD/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST.

Info Screen

When opened, Gater-Pro will display a screen containing three options:

Authorisation

After purchasing an authorisation code from us, enter your name and code into the Gater-Pro info window by copying and pasting (there are paste buttons to the left of the text boxes) or typing, then click enter. The name and code are both case-sensitive and include any spaces. If you have any difficulty, for instance due to your DAW / sequencer host application ‘stealing’ key-presses and not sending them to the plugin (“Reaper” steals the space-bar, for instance), then look for an option to “send all keyboard input to the plugin”, or similar.

If Gater-Pro appears to authorise correctly but then asks for it’s authorisation code again when it is next used, check to see if this folder: YOUR ACCOUNT/Library/Application Support/ has got a padlock on it’s icon. If it has, select File, Get Info [Apple + I] then look about halfway down the window which opens - there is an item called Locked—untick it. The padlock icon on Application Support should have gone. Try authorising Gater-Pro again. You can turn the padlock back on again afterwards but note that Gater-Pro won't be able to save MIDI controller assignments with it on.

Updating to version 4.0

Version 4.0 is a free update for previous licence purchasers. If you're updating from an earlier version on Mac AU or VST, you may need to delete the original authorisation file and re-enter your details. The authorisation file is located here: Macintosh HD/Users/YOU/Library/Application Support/Gater-Pro/Gater-Pro.dat Just drag it to the trash then try re-entering your name and authorisation code.

If you still have problems, please contact us.

What Does It Do?

Gater-Pro is a stereo rhythmic gate or trance gate for chopping up individual parts or entire tracks, optimised for DJ use and real-time operation.

Controls (from left to right)

RANDOMISE ALL BUTTON

Randomises the gate pattern and the ties. Ties are only added to gates which are turned on.

ALL GATES ON BUTTON

Turns all the gates ON.

ALL GATES OFF BUTTON

Turns all the gates and all the ties OFF.

ALL TIES ON BUTTON

Turns all the ties on ON, except if they are already ON, in which case it will turn them all OFF.

• The RANDOMISE ALL, ALL GATES ON, ALL GATES OFF and ALL TIES ON buttons are GUI controls only, not parameters which can be saved, automated or MIDI-controlled. Allowing them to be automated could create illogical situations in which they would conflict with other automated parameters such as the GATE buttons—trying to turn them ON when they had been automated OFF, for instance.

MIX KNOB

Adjusts the balance between the input and output signals. The default setting is 100%.

RATE KNOB

Selects the rate at which the gate pattern plays. The choices are BYPASS, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64 and 1/128 of a beat. BYPASS stops the gating completely which allows the effect to be cut in and out with this control. The default setting is 1/16.

LINK BUTTON

Selects the LINK mode, in which the 2 rows of 16 gate buttons are arranged in sequence to give a 32-step pattern—the pattern is still stereo but both channels are always set the same. In STEREO mode, the 2 rows of gate buttons are arranged in 16 stereo pairs and left and right channels can be switched independently. The default setting is STEREO.

GATE BUTTONS

Select whether a gate is on or off. Turning a gate off will also turn off that gate’s tied button if it is on. The default setting is ON.

TIED BUTTONS

The numbers above (and under) the gate buttons are tied gate buttons. In FILL mode, they replace the gate step with a 100%-on gate, In STRETCH mode, they extend gates over more than one step. The default setting is OFF.

TIED MODE BUTTON

Selects the tied mode. There are two options:

• The default setting is FILL.

MIDI LEARN BUTTON

Selects the MIDI learn mode. When MIDI learn mode is turned on, Gater-Pro listens for MIDI controller (CC) messages and will assign each MIDI controller number received to the most recently moved Gater-Pro control. • Control movements made while in MIDI learn mode are not remembered and do not affect program settings. • The MIDI LEARN button cannot itself be automated!. The default setting is OFF.

SWING KNOB

Adjusts the swing amount from -99 to +99%. There is increased resolution around 0%. The default setting is 0%.

GATE SHAPE BUTTONS

Selects one of 3 gate shapes: GATE, RAMP or TRAPEZOID. The default setting is GATE.

GATE SHAPE DISPLAY

Displays the gate shape as selected by the GATE SHAPE button and allows it to be adjusted. The shape can be changed by clicking and dragging with horizontal or vertical movement of the mouse. The GATE SHAPE width can be adjusted from 0-100%. The default setting is 50%.

PARAMETER DISPLAY

Displays the value of any control as the mouse pointer is moved over it. Positioning the mouse pointer over the PARAMETER DISPLAY itself will display the plug-in name and version number. Clicking the display opens an information window showing the plug-in name and version number, website address and copyright notices.

USER NAME

Displays the registered user’s name or DEMO MODE - NOISE BURSTS if unregistered.

Notes

• Since Gater-Pro v4.0 the number of programs in a bank has been increased to 60. Old 50 program banks and songs will still load and will have programs 51 to 60 filled with the factory preset programs for those numbers. Banks always save in v4.0 format with 60 programs.

• To restore the factory preset program bank, just move any banks saved by your host DAW / sequencer program so Gater-Pro has nothing to load, or just insert it into a new track.

• There are 4 distinct ways to turn gating completely off:

Minimum System Requirements

Mac: an Intel Mac running OS X 10.5 (Leopard) or higher and an Audio-Unit or VST 2.4 compatible DAW / sequencer host application.

Windows: any PC running Windows XP or newer with an SSE2-capable CPU and a VST 2.4 compatible DAW / sequencer host application.

Version History

Gater-Pro v4.0

Gater-Pro v3.3 (Mac only)

Gater-Pro v3.2

Note: this upgrade is to the authorisation system only—don't update unless you're obsessive about having the latest version! You’ll have to re-enter your name and authorisation code after updating.

Gater-Pro v3.1

Gater-Pro v3.0

Gater-Pro v2.0

Gater-Pro v1.1.1 (Mac Only)

Note: This update is for the Mac VST and Audio-Unit versions of Gater-Pro only.

Gater-Pro v1.1

Gater-Pro v1.0

Known Issues

VirtualDJ: Graphics update only when the mouse pointer is clicked in the Gater-Pro window.

Credits

Thanks to Simon Field, Alistair Goldspink, MetaDronos, Marc olivier-Johnson and Richard Pringle for design suggestions and beta testing. Mac Audio Unit version implemented using Symbiosis from NuEdge Development. VST plug-in technology by Steinberg.